BOARD of DIRECTORS
David Beller (Founder)
David has fifteen years of experience in horticulture, agriculture, food policy and community food projects. He earned a bachelors degree in agroecology and sustainable agriculture from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a masters from the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds a certificate in ecological agriculture from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. He has consulted and served as an instructor for a range of organizations domestically and internationally including Oregon State University and Merritt Community College. David previously managed the California Polytechnic State University Organic Farm and was an analyst for the California Food Policy Advocates. He has a background working with small and large agricultural businesses including Driscoll’s and Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo. David was an active leader on the Portland Multnomah Food Policy Council and creator of the Urban Agriculture and Gardening Subcommittee. Currently he is the program officer of the New American Agriculture Project. In two years, David secured four parcels and five acres of land for 30 participants in Mercy Corps Northwest’s refugee agriculture project.
Weston Miller (Oregon State University Extension Service)
Weston serves as Community and Urban Horticulturist for Oregon State University Extension Service for the tri-county Portland metro area. Part of his duties inlcude managing the Master Gardener and Organic Gardening Certifice program to educate the general public about small-scale food production and ecological landscaping. Weston served as chair of the Portland Multnomah Food Policy Council in both 2008 and 2009. He brings a wealth of experience to Grow Portland as a farmer, landscaper, and educator. Weston lives in SW Portland with his wife and 2 young sons where he likes to garden and hike.
Adam Lang (Providence Health)
Adam Lang is a Research Supervisor at Providence Health and Services, where his team is studying the health and health care experiences of Oregonians. Adam holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware. Prior to moving to Portland, Adam worked with the Federal Government of Nigeria to scale-up the testing, diagnosis, and treatment of infants and children living with HIV/AIDS. He has also worked and volunteered in varied other fields, including teaching English, Math, and Science in India, Korea, and the Bay Area, researching the effects of an urban youth violence reduction program in Philadelphia, and analyzing and managing the operations of internet start-up companies in San Francisco. Adam enjoys many outdoor activities with family and friends: soccer, gardening, hiking, backpacking, and acting a fool.
Lora Price (Community Gardens Development Consultant)
Lora is a licensed landscape architect and garden designer specializing in edible and native inspired landscapes. Lora’s educational background is in horticulture, permaculture and a masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon. Lora brings 20 years of experience as a Project Manager with the National Park Service, Oregon State Parks, Sonoma County and Metro Regional Parks and Greenspaces. In this capacity she has focused on public park and natural area improvements, trails, and habitat restorations. She has managed projects, large and small, from initial visioning and planning stages through to successful implementation in the ground. Lora has worked together with numerous grass root partners and volunteers and has brought in substantial grant funding to bring many of these projects to fruition.
Lora is excited to bring her experience to Grow Portland’s mission dedicated to expanding access to urban gardening in community and growing healthy food. Recently completed, in partnership with the Portland School District, City of Portland, Depave and Friends of Portland Community Gardens, is the creation of a 15,000 SF joint school and community garden at Vestal K-8 School in NE Portland.
Lauren Morse (Produce Marketing)
Lauren is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College with a Bachelor of Arts in both Biology and Sociology. She’s passionate about using knowledge from these fields to develop food systems that are both ecologically and socially sustainable.
Her agricultural background includes working at farms in New Hampshire, North Carolina, and New Zealand. She has also conducted agricultural research at North Carolina State University’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems. Additionally, she has experience with garden education gained through organizing events for the student garden at Lewis & Clark and serving as a teaching assistant for Growing Gardens’ Youth Grow program.
Lauren worked with the New American Agriculture Project (NAAP) at Mercy Corps Northwest to research protocols for assessing urban soil pollution and completed a study of the local market for community supported agriculture shares. She is continuing to support Mercy Corps and Grow Portland by leading produce marketing efforts at the Pioneer Square Farmers Market and the community supported agriculture program.
